Even the Grateful Dead like everyone had a certain routine and rhythm and it's great to see them get outside their own box and let loose with a very free-flowing. What do we play next?-show.
Perhaps it was the vibe of playing in the
Jai-Alai arena.
This show is a keeper.

Excellent mix! Really don't get the guy who starts the comments with his dig on matrix recordings and how it apparently adulterates the soundboard original for him. That's kind of like saying good acoustics ruin music, that it should be heard in a pillow padded vacum. Soundboards are not the way music was meant to be heard, as the ambient acoustics are missing, leaving the music missing an important element you would normally hear from any performance. Soundboards, though interesting, really are 1 dimensional and do not truly capture the sounds of the musicians and vocals.
Thanks Mr. Seamons for the beautiful mix of a show with some excellant performances - really dig China Doll.

Hunter, never mind the uninformed drivel below. He obviously doesn't understand why matrices are made. I really enjoy the work you did here, this is my main source for this show now.

Heavenly Jam>Ship of Fools, but don't overlook the Black Peter. Easily one of the best versions they ever performed.

Keep up the good work!

It just doesnt get much better than this. Garcia's solo in To Lay Me Down is why we Deadheads listen to thousands of hours of tape and search far and wide for new shows and song versions. His playing flows with passion and fluidity, and with this matrix source you can hear the crowd express their appreciation.

And dont be fooled by the setlist - the opening of Set 2 coupling of Jam > Ship Of Fools, Black Peter is an absolute must hear. The jam intro to Ship is a full-band thing of beauty, patiently explored that these ears have never heard before. And the Black Peter that follows is so touching played and heartfelt that the crowd's reverent silence does poetic justice.

Finally the last half of the Dark Star also demonstrates the free-flowing improvisation we all love about this band, with an amazingly patient transition into a slower Spanish Jam.

This is the GOOD STUFF.

To the one-star hater below - there are soundboard sources available. Feel free to check those out, but no need to hate on this delicious matrix of a fantastic performance.

This is just incredible! I love the China Doll and Ship of Fools. I haven't heard many '74s yet, but I must look deeper. Also, Let it Rock is one of my favorites and it is the first I've heard that on a live recording. Weather Report...same thing. Such a fine piece of work this concert is. I don't even mind the extensive technical troubles they had early on.

Anytime I try and pick a favorite highlight of this show-and there are many-I always seem to come back to that jam into Ship of Fools...it's just so beautiful. That moment at 3:07...It makes me wonder why they didn't do that sort of thing more often.

I've been raving about 1970's versions of To Lay Me Down a lot, and this one might be just as on par with others from the year, but this one seems extra special just because it was played on Robert Hunter's birthday. I think all will agree this show is just about as definitive "Wall of Sound Summer 74" as it gets. I never give star ratings because I feel that music is too subjective to skew people's opinions based on mine, but I take exception and give this one 5.

...and for those who don't like a matrix, then just don't listen to it...I completely understand why people don't like them, but there are unadulterated sbd and aud's out there, if ya don't care for the matrix, listen to one of those. Nobody is making anybody like or dislike or listen to anything, it's all fun.

I personally appreciate a good matrix and the time put into making them. I don't like all of them, though I do like the majority of them, I especially just like having the 3 options to suit my mood (sbd, aud, mtx). Thanks, Hunter, this one is about as good as they come.

Another great job Hunter!!

Outstanding the way you can beef up a decent aud using a SBD and make something that is greater than the sum of it's 2 parts!!

A clear, rich recording of an adventurous show. Check out a truly weird Dark Star, a Let it Rock that does just that, and a jam into ship of fools for the record books. This is music only the dead could play.

As for the Matrix controversy: I think the Audience tape adds some depth to these stale Wall of Sound boards, particularly for those vocals. Post-hiatus boards tend to be of a sufficient quality to make such measures superfluous... see 05-08-77.

Cliff, based on several one star reviews of yours, which I welcome of course, it seems your critique is based on a basic dislike for the matrix format, which has become an accepted and appreciated format by many, but certainly not by all. However, your view that it's like adding an "I Love Lucy" laugh track seems to blatantly disregard all of the sonic dimensions an AUD can actually provide, which the SBD lacks, apart from audience noises, which is why folk have been making these matrixes for years in the first place. I hope that in the future you will be able to recognize matrixes, flawed as they may be, for what they are, and not adulterate these comment sections with short-sighted remarks and one star reviews that obviously come from an extreme, loathing, dark, and almost demonic feeling of hatred for matrixes. I know deep down inside you know the truth about these matrixes, but have not had the proper courage to face it.

Am I being too serious here?...Maybe...

ROCK ON, CLIFF!

Adding crowd noise over a pristine soundboard recording has transformed this top-ten show into an I love Lucy episode...